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Tanacu, Romania - A Romanian Orthodox priest who ordered the crucifixion of a young nun because she was "possessed by the devil" and now faces murder charges was unrepentant on Saturday as he celebrated a funeral mass for his alleged victim.

"God has performed a miracle for her, finally Irina is delivered from evil," Father Daniel, 29, the superior of the Holy Trinity monastery in north-eastern Romania, said before celebrating a short mass "for the soul of the deceased", in the presence of 13 nuns who showed no visible emotion.

He insisted that from the religious point of view, the crucifixion of Maricica Irina Cornici, 23, was "entirely justified", but admitted that he faced excommunication as well as prosecution, and was seeking a "good lawyer".

Cornici had entered the monastery just three months beforeCornici was found dead on Wednesday, gagged and chained to a cross, after fellow nuns called an ambulance, according to police.

Mihaela Straub, spokesperson for the police in the province of Vaslui, said Daniel and four other nuns had claimed Cornici was possessed and should be exorcised.

Before being crucified she had been kept shut up for several days, her hands and feet tied and without food or drink, he said.

Cornici had entered the monastery just three months before, after visiting a friend who was a nun there, police said.

As her coffin entered the church of the monastery Saturday no church bells were sounded while nuns cast distrustful glances at the strangers, including two AFP reporters, present at the ceremony.

'She can't be laid in the church because she was possesed'Claps of thunder from an approaching storm were sometimes the only sounds to break the silence.

"This storm is proof that the will of God has been done," Daniel said.

"You see it?" said the priest, gesturing at the body, lying in an annexe and still showing the marks of the gag. One of the nuns, Sister Martha, added, "She can't be laid in the church because she was possesed."

Daniel has lived for the past four years in the isolated monastery located in the hills of one of the poorest regions of Romania, without running water or electricity.

"Over there, in your world, the people must know that the devil exists. Personally I can find his work in the gestures and speech of possessed people, because man is often weak and lets himself be easily manipulated by the forces of evil," said the bearded young priest.

"I don't understand why journalists are making such a fuss about this. Exorcism is a common practise in the heart of the Romanian Orthodox church and my methods are not at all unknown to other priests," he said.

A 34-year-old parishioner who had come to defend Daniel and gave her name as Dora, said Sister Irina " had to be punished, she had an argument with the Father during a Sunday mass and insulted him in front of the congregation."

Sociologist Alred Bulai said that corporal punishment was still commonly used in certain Romanian monasteries.

"It's happening particularly in the isolated monasteries, where the superiors have difficulty understanding the current realities and adapting themselves to modern life," Bulai said.

Since the fall of the communist regime in December 1989, the Orthodox Church, which represents 85 percent of Romania's 22

million inhabitants, is rated in many opinion polls as the most trusted institution in the country.

Vitalie Danciu, the superior of a nearby monastery at Golia, called the crucifixion "inexcusable",k but a spokesperson for the Orthodox patriarchate in Bucharest refused to condemn it.

Last Updated: Saturday, 18 June, 2005, 20:30 GMT 21:30 UKE-mail this to a friend Printable versionCrucified nun dies in 'exorcism'Father Daniel says the nun's death was justifiedA Romanian nun has died after being bound to a cross, gagged and left alone for three days in a cold room in a convent, Romanian police have said.

Members of the convent in north-west Romania claim Maricica Irina Cornici was possessed and that the crucifixion had been part of an exorcism ritual.

Cornici was found dead on the cross on Wednesday after fellow nuns called an ambulance, according to police.

A priest and four nuns were charged with imprisonment leading to death.

Orphan

Police say the 23-year-old nun, who was denied food and drink throughout her ordeal, had been tied and chained to the cross and a towel pushed into her mouth to smother any sounds.

A post-mortem is to be carried out, although initial reports say that Cornici died from asphyxiation.

I don't understand why journalists are making such a fuss about thisFather Daniel

Local media reports that the young woman had arrived at the remote convent three months before, having initially gone there to visit a friend and opted to stay.

She grew up in an orphanage in Arad, in the west of Romania.

Mediafax news agency said Cornici suffered from schizophrenia and the symptoms of her condition caused the priest at the convent and other nuns to believe she was possessed by the devil.

"They all said she was possessed and they were trying to cast out the evil spirits," police spokeswoman Michaela Straub said.

Father Daniel who is accused of orchestrating the crime is said to be unrepentant.

"God has performed a miracle for her, finally Irina is delivered from evil," AFP quoted the priest as saying.

"I don't understand why journalists are making such a fuss about this. Exorcism is a common practise in the heart of the Romanian Orthodox church and my methods are not at all unknown to other priests," Father Daniel added.

If found guilty of killing Cornici, Father Daniel and the accused nuns could face 20 years in jail.

This is so sad!!!!!!! My wife is from Arad Romania!!

I am speechless!!!!!

Bagpiper

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Troparion - Tone 1:O Sebastian, spurning the assemblies of the wicked,You gathered the wise martyrs Who with you cast down the enemy; And standing worthily before the throne of God, You gladden those who cry to you:Glory to him who has strengthened you! Glory to him who has granted you a crown!

Oh my goodness. This is what you get in my church when the villagers bring their frankly pagan superstitions into the monastery with them. I'm pretty much willing to bet that the poor nun they killed had done absolutely nothing to warrant any accusation of possession. This really needs sorting out and it is not the first time (though it is the worst case) that I've come across similar reports.

My wife is from Siret in the north east of the country (Bucovina) which is very rural and very religious. Possessions, curses and the like are taken as a matter of course and people will often go to priests (especially at the very famous monasteries) for cures, blessings and exorcisms. I've seen some of the latter and they never involved crucifixions, starvation or any other such abuse - that is not a legitimate part of any exorcism and the priest involved should be jailed - for a very long time - if only to impress on the ignorant ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Â¦Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒâ€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢rani who wish to become monastics that superstitions have no place in the Church and nor (as I'm sure this is the beginning of this case) do personal feuds.

This, frankly, leaves me feeling rather shameful of my church, even though I know that the vast majority of Romanian Orthodox would never be involved in something like this.

James

« Last Edit: June 20, 2005, 04:48:03 AM by jmbejdl »

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We owe greater gratitude to those who humble us, wrong us, and douse us with venom, than to those who nurse us with honour and sweet words, or feed us with tasty food and confections, for bile is the best medicine for our soul. - Elder Paisios of Mount Athos

BUCHAREST, Romania - A Romanian Orthodox monk has been indicted in the death of a 23-year-old nun in an apparent exorcism in which she was allegedly bound to a cross, had a towel stuffed into her mouth and left without food for three days.ADVERTISEMENT

Four nuns also were indicted Sunday in connection with the death of Maricica Irina Cornici of the Holy Trinity convent in northeast Romania. The prosecutor said Monday authorities were awaiting the results of a second autopsy before deciding how to proceed.

Police said Cornici died Wednesday, three days after she was left in a cold room, without any food. She was bound to the cross, with the towel stuffed in her mouth to stop her from uttering any sounds, authorities said.

A medical examiner's report based on an autopsy concluded the nun died due to dehydration, exhaustion and lack of oxygen, state news agency Rompres reported.

A second autopsy is carried out when there is suspicion of foul play to minimize possible error.

Monk Daniel Petru Corogeanu and the four indicted nuns were charged with depriving a person of liberty resulting in death, but they have not been taken into custody pending results of the second autopsy, prosecutor Ovidiu Berindei told The Associated Press. If convicted, they could face 25 years in prison, said Berindei, prosecutor of Vaslui, a region in northeast Romania.

The monk said Sunday he was trying to "take the devil out of her," N24 news television reported.

When asked whether the nun was mentally ill and in need of medical help instead of exorcism, he told the television station, "you can't take the devil out of people with pills."

The Romanian Orthodox Church has called the death "abominable" and has suspended Corogeanu pending an investigation. However, he refused to recognize the suspension and carried out a funeral service for the nun on Sunday. Cornici will be buried in a separate service in her home village.

Nuns yelled at a vicar who had come to suspend Corogeanu on Sunday, and scuffles broke out, N24 reported. Riot police intervened and order was restored, the television station reported. There were no injuries.

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Troparion - Tone 1:O Sebastian, spurning the assemblies of the wicked,You gathered the wise martyrs Who with you cast down the enemy; And standing worthily before the throne of God, You gladden those who cry to you:Glory to him who has strengthened you! Glory to him who has granted you a crown!

Romania was stunned by news of the exorcism ritual A Romanian priest has been jailed for 14 years for conducting an exorcism that led to the death of a nun who he believed was possessed by devils. Irina Cornici, 23, died after being starved and chained to a cross at a secluded convent in the north-east.

The ritual in 2005 was led by Daniel Petru Corogeanu, 31, the priest at the Holy Trinity convent in Tanacu village.

He and four nuns were convicted of manslaughter. The nuns got jail terms ranging from five to eight years.

Well, there are religious nutcases in any religion, I'm glad the Church was sensible about it and deposed him. But the state only giving him 14 years? They should have lopped his head off...or if they don't do that any more, given him life.

And why did he nail her down anyway? He could have just TIED her to one and had the same "effect".

In fact she wasn't nailed but tied, and not to a cross, but to a simple plank; her tying had nothing religious about it, but became necessary because of her violent behaviour; they called and ambulance, which didn't arrive on time.The priest is himself a victim and an easy scapegoat for the persons really responsible of this death. He was so severely punished just to appease the media which made up the story of a strange ritual of exorcism and a crucified nun.

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"I saw a miracle where 2 people entered church one by baptism and one by chrismation. On pictures the one received by full baptism was shinning in light the one by chrismation no."

In fact she wasn't nailed but tied, and not to a cross, but to a simple plank; her tying had nothing religious about it, but became necessary because of her violent behaviour; they called and ambulance, which didn't arrive on time.The priest is himself a victim and an easy scapegoat for the persons really responsible of this death. He was so severely punished just to appease the media which made up the story of a strange ritual of exorcism and a crucified nun.

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Police said Cornici died Wednesday, three days after she was left in a cold room, without any food. She was bound to the cross, with the towel stuffed in her mouth to stop her from uttering any sounds, authorities said.

A medical examiner's report based on an autopsy concluded the nun died due to dehydration, exhaustion and lack of oxygen, state news agency Rompres reported.

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The monk said Sunday he was trying to "take the devil out of her," N24 news television reported.

When asked whether the nun was mentally ill and in need of medical help instead of exorcism, he told the television station, "you can't take the devil out of people with pills."

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"God has performed a miracle for her, finally Irina is delivered from evil," AFP quoted the priest as saying.

I don't know the facts of the case so I can't comment on the guilt of this man. Yet, here's a thought to consider - what if this were a genuine case of an exorcism gone bad? Or taken in the abstract, what if such a thing were to happen, somewhere - I can't really see how a Priest would prove himself innocent in such a case. Even perfectly reasonable things (in context) could be perceived as being reckless or otherwise examples of criminal confinement, etc.

While the reaction of the Priest is bizarre, to say the least, we can't disregard the possibility that this nun truly was possessed. I mean we can't expect the secular media to accept that possibility, of course they would try and pin it down on various conditions that they can medically diagnose.

While the reaction of the Priest is bizarre, to say the least, we can't disregard the possibility that this nun truly was possessed. I mean we can't expect the secular media to accept that possibility, of course they would try and pin it down on various conditions that they can medically diagnose.

IF this were true, and it is highly unlikely, the exorcism should have been performed in a manner that did not endanger her physical well being...this young lady died from what is essentially physical abuse and neglect. It's murder, plain and simple, and it appears that the defrocked priest is going to be getting off too easy.

IF this were true, and it is highly unlikely, the exorcism should have been performed in a manner that did not endanger her physical well being...this young lady died from what is essentially physical abuse and neglect. It's murder, plain and simple, and it appears that the defrocked priest is going to be getting off too easy.

Everything you say stands apart from the bit where you try and ascertain the liklihood of this nun being possessed. You know no more about her true condition than anyone else, and seem to be too trusting of media sources, who are never going to acknowledge a single supernatural phenomenon if they can explain it away using scientific means.

I don't know the facts of the case so I can't comment on the guilt of this man. Yet, here's a thought to consider - what if this were a genuine case of an exorcism gone bad? Or taken in the abstract, what if such a thing were to happen, somewhere - I can't really see how a Priest would prove himself innocent in such a case. Even perfectly reasonable things (in context) could be perceived as being reckless or otherwise examples of criminal confinement, etc.

I believe there is a movie called the Exorcisim of Emily Rose (or something to that effect). That depicts that exact situation. Except it involves a RC priest. Whats funny is that I always thought that if the RC priest was replaced by an Orthodox Priest she would have bin cured.

IF this were true, and it is highly unlikely, the exorcism should have been performed in a manner that did not endanger her physical well being...this young lady died from what is essentially physical abuse and neglect. It's murder, plain and simple, and it appears that the defrocked priest is going to be getting off too easy.

GIC, I am in complete agreement with you on this one. Patriarch Alexey sent out an edict last year warning his flock not to blindly obey spiritual fathers. The nuns blindly obeyed this priest who was poorly educated. This outcome is not surprising when ignorance and blind obedience rule the day.

I'm amazed it took a year and a half to get both a verdict and news in English on this.

I agree that Mr Corogeanu and his accomplices got off too easy.

I understand it wasn't really the Romanian Orthodox Church's fault, only indirectly as religion has had something of a comeback post-Communism which meant the church suddenly needed more priests. So a bishop decided to ordain this dingdong but ordered him to go to seminary to finish his studies afterwards.

It wasn't the bishop's or the church's fault he disobeyed his bishop.

The convent wasn't under the bishop. Basically these people were vagantes, independent.

Everything you say stands apart from the bit where you try and ascertain the liklihood of this nun being possessed. You know no more about her true condition than anyone else, and seem to be too trusting of media sources, who are never going to acknowledge a single supernatural phenomenon if they can explain it away using scientific means.

Well, it should be noted that the Church defrocked this person as well the state prosecuting him; he's a murderer, plain and simple, and it would appear that he's a psychopath as well.

Also, if there is a reasonable and scientific explanation there is no reason to appeal to supernatural phenomena.

The convent wasn't under the bishop. Basically these people were vagantes, independent.

Not at all. The convent was within the canonical jurisdiction of the Bishop Ioachim of Husi.

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he's a murderer, plain and simple,

Murder was not what he intended. They didn't even foresee this outcome.He was however disobedient of his bishop, after the death of that nun, because although ordered not to celebrate any longer, he still celebrated a few liturgies afterwards and this is what, I think, led to him being defrocked, and not the death of that nun, Mother Irina, per se.

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I agree that Mr Corogeanu and his accomplices got off too easy

.By Romanian standards at least, his punishment is very severe.

« Last Edit: March 03, 2007, 01:09:14 AM by augustin717 »

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"I saw a miracle where 2 people entered church one by baptism and one by chrismation. On pictures the one received by full baptism was shinning in light the one by chrismation no."

He was however disobedient of his bishop, after the death of that nun, because although ordered not to celebrate any longer, he still celebrated a few liturgies afterwards and this is what, I think, led to him being defrocked, and not the death of that nun, Mother Irina, per se.

Nice theory, but the Church also excommunicated the 'nuns' who were involved in the 'exorcism.' They could not have canonically been excommunicated for attending irregular liturgies. It is quite clear that the church condemned this murder masquerading as an 'exorcism.'

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By Romanian standards at least, his punishment is very severe.

By any standards 14 years is a ridiculously lenient sentence for a murderer, it makes a mockery out of the Romanian judicial system...15 years ago they would have put a bullet in the back of his head.

Also, if there is a reasonable and scientific explanation there is no reason to appeal to supernatural phenomena.

I'm sorry but thats just a copout. I'm not appealing to supernatural phenomena, I simply refuse to discount the possibility since I know that the media would never acknowledge that someone is possessed. I simply don't have the facts to make the judgement, so I am leaving the option open, whereas the secular media will never do that because it doesn't fit in with their world view. Therefore you cannot expect them to be objective. Or do you expect them to report miracles accepted by the Church as fact? Of course not, they will always say 'the Church claims this' and then explain it away because it is not compatible with their beliefs.

Do you mean it was an official convent of his diocese or only that geographically it was in his diocese?

The church wasn't consecrated yet because it was still a new (4 years old) convent, so the work wasn't completed yet, but the bishop of Husi gave them the so-called "antimis" without which any liturgy cannot be celebrated. So yes, it was an official convent of the diocese, although not an old one. Daniel Corogeanu was ordained priest by the same bishop, Ioachim, at the proposal of several officials of the diocese and after the due cannonical inspection.

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..15 years ago they would have put a bullet in the back of his head.

The good old times when even attending a liturgy would have been considered a (mild) form of treason of or conspiracy against the Communist state.

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They could not have canonically been excommunicated for attending irregular liturgies.

I don't know the canons; that's what I understood, after reading quite a few Romanian materials.As regarding the verdict, even the vicar of the diocese, Corneliu of Birlad, said that "it is excessively harsh".

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"I saw a miracle where 2 people entered church one by baptism and one by chrismation. On pictures the one received by full baptism was shinning in light the one by chrismation no."